Bulldog Buddies Bulletin
Preschool Update - February 2024
Hello Bulldog Buddies Families,
Thank you to everyone that participated in our elearning day activities last month during the frigid temperatures we experienced! I hope that you found the activities fun, engaging and low stress. I started thinking about how much our children learn through their everyday activities at home, at school and in their community. I encourage you to find everyday tasks that your child can help you with including setting the table for mealtime, folding laundry, measuring ingredients and other everyday tasks at home. If you are looking for additional at home activities to reinforce their learning, you may want to consider one of these:
- During mealtimes, talk about the letters each food item starts with, look for other words in the kitchen/dining room that start with the same letter , or come up with a word that rhymes with something your family is having for dinner.
- Create new recipes or follow a family favorite! You can count the ingredients and measure them together. Don't forget to show them the written recipe so they can see what it looks like.
- Hunt for shapes in the house, outside or somewhere in the community. You can find rectangles in buildings (windows, bricks), circles in cars (wheels), triangles on signs (yield sign) and so much more. To extend the activity, you can take pictures and create a shape book at home.
- The playground is a great place to build your child's vocabulary by talking about going up and down a slide, crawling across a bridge, standing under a tree or sitting on a bench.
- Any store is a great place to hunt for letters on labels, signs and around the store. Have conversations about what they see, the importance of different departments and the different jobs workers have.
As always, reading, playing games and playing with your children can teach them a lot of skills too.
Enjoy every moment, as they grow up so quickly!
Kristy Elsey
Assistant Director of Elementary Education
Phone: 219-663-4330 ext. 22001
Email: kelsey01@cps.k12.in.us
Do You Want Your Child To Attend Bulldog Buddies Next Year?
We are starting to plan for the 2024-2025 school year. Please complete the interest form below if you are interested in your child attending the Bulldog Buddies preschool program next year (2024-2025). Completing this form does not guarantee your child a spot within the program; however, it is the first step in that process. You will receive additional information from my office as the year progresses regarding registration.
Study Update
We have finished up our Pets Study. We learned about different kinds of pets, where they live, what they eat, how we care for them and how they make us feel! Our preschoolers pretended to work at vet clinics, grooming stations and shelters! Some classes even welcomed a new class pet! They also learned so many academic skills during this study - check out some of our favorites!
Drawing & writing about pets!
Puppy Adoption!
Making observations and writing about our class pet!
Future veterinarian!
Shared writing about pets!
Uppercase/lowercase letter matching!
Discovery Area!
Paw print painting with chocolate!
Shape viewer fun!
We are starting our Clothes Study today. We will be learning about different types of clothes, why we wear them, how we take care of them, where we get them from, and how they are made. Children will have opportunities to examine clothes, to try them on, and they can even design their own clothing. Children can think critically about why different clothes are made of different fabrics and shapes and patterns, how some clothing can protect you, and about what types of clothes and fabric they like. We can pretend to wash, dry, and iron clothes, and we can practice matching mittens and socks and folding and hanging clothes. We will talk about some of the different places we get clothes: from stores, as gifts, from siblings and relatives, or from thrift stores. We can also talk about what we might do with clothes when we outgrow them. Children will learn that just as clothes can be made of different materials, they can also be made in many different ways using patterns (using sewing machines, knitting, weaving, crocheting).
You can help us by sending in any of the following items for our investigations: different types of clothes (dress up, uniforms, mittens, scarves, socks, etc.), yarn, fabric scraps, buttons, plastic hangers, clean empty detergent bottles, and laundry baskets.
At the end of the month, we will begin our Exercise Study. Our bodies are made to move. Many young children are in constant motion when they are awake. They wiggle, stretch, run, jump, hop, bounce, and climb. Moving makes children feel capable and confident, releases tension, and builds strong bodies and minds. The Exercise study explores children’s natural desire to move. Children will discover
- what exercise is and how it helps our bodies
- how we can use our bodies in different ways to do a variety of types of exercise
- where people exercise
- what kinds of equipment can be used to exercise
As we study exercise, we will learn concepts and skills in physical development, language and literacy, math, science, social studies, and the arts. We will also develop thinking skills as we observe, investigate, ask questions, solve problems, make predictions, and test our ideas.
We can use donations of things like exercise mats, 1-2 lb hand weights, jump ropes, or protective equipment (helmets, knee pads, elbow pads).
Parent Feedback
How do you feel about the elearning day activities?
Bulldog Buddies Super Things Video
Check out our very own Bulldog Buddies in Mrs. Delia Keane's classroom!
A Note From Our Preschool Specialist
Preschoolers are learning a lot of foundational math skills that will help them throughout their schooling. Some important concepts include:
- Counting
- Recognizing numerals (number symbols)
- Comparing two sets and understanding more, less, and equal (same amount)
- Learning the meaning of first, second, third
- Extending and creating simple patterns
- Sorting and classifying objects based on attributes like size, color, or shape
- Naming shapes
- Understanding concepts of time like morning, afternoon, earlier, later
- Understanding measurement and comparing length and volume
Math is part of children’s everyday lives. Take advantage of “math moments”. Count out grapes for a snack, look for numbers on houses or signs, use words like “before” and “after” and “morning” and “evening” when talking about the day. Encourage thinking and problem solving: “If you have two grapes and I give you one more (or take one away), how many will you have?” Demonstrate counting by touching each item as you count it. Learning that the last number you say is how many items you have is a skill preschoolers need to learn too! “One, two, three. You have three grapes.”
Parents’ mindsets about math influence children. Children notice when parents are anxious about math or say things like, “I’m not good at math”. Focus on having fun and figuring things out together. Remind children that mistakes help us learn and we can always try again.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our preschool specialist, Charissa Leestma at cleestma@cps.k12.in.us or (219) 663-4330.
Open Interviews: Support Staff
Open interviews for support positions are held the second Thursday of each month from 9am to 2pm at the Crown Point Schools Administration Center, 1050 S. Main St., Crown Point.
Careers include paraprofessionals, custodians, food service staff, bus drivers and substitutes.
Dental Health Month
February is National Children's Dental Health Month. Did you know that cavities are the most common chronic disease of childhood? The good news is that they are preventable! Check out these healthy tips to help prevent cavities and prevent absences from school.
Healthy Smile Tips:
- Brush your teeth at least 2x per day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean between your teeth daily.
- Eat healthy foods and limit sugary beverages.
- See your dentist at least twice a year.
Check out this article for additional information related to dental hygiene for children.
Preschool Tuition & Fees
Thank you for your diligence in paying any outstanding preschool fees! Just as a reminder, current tuition fees are loaded on the 15th of the previous month and due by the 1st of every month. Please check your child's PowerSchool account for balances due. Payment can be made online or at the school office. Failure to pay by the 10th of the current month will result in your student not being able to attend preschool until the balance is paid in full.
Supply Fee - $65 yearly for all students in preschool
Monthly Tuition - $180/3 days per week, $300/5 days per week
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the preschool office at (219) 663-4330.
Birth to School
Little Learner Series
CPCSC offers a Birth to School Program for children 0-5 years old that reside within the Crown Point Community School Corporation boundaries. We offer a Little Learners series that includes a baby class (0-12 months), toddler class (13-24 months) and little learners class (25-36 months). Imaginarium and Learn Through Play classes are for children ages 0-5. If your child is already attending Bulldog Buddies, you can also be a part of the Birth to School program. All Birth to School classes and events are free. For additional information, please check out our website at www.cps.k12.in.us/bts. If you have specific questions, please contact our Birth to School Coordinator, Jamie Kalk at jkalk@cps.k12.in.us.
Important Dates
- February 19 - Presidents Day, No Preschool Classes
- March 12 - eLearning Day, No Preschool Classes
- March 25-29 - Spring Break, No Preschool Classes
- May 27 - Memorial Day, No Preschool Classes
- May 31 - Last day of preschool
- June 3 - Teacher Work Day, No Preschool Classes
General Information
Kristy Elsey, Assistant Director of Elementary Education
Email: kelsey01@cps.k12.in.us
Christine Johnsen, Preschool Treasurer
Email: cjohnsen@cps.k12.in.us
Charissa Leestma, Preschool Specialist
Email: cleestma@cps.k12.in.us
Website: https://preschool.cps.k12.in.us/
Location: 720 Summit Street, Crown Point, IN, USA
Phone: 219-663-4330